Kids born from frozen embryos may have increased cancer risk: study

New research out of Sweden suggests that babies born from frozen embryos were more at risk to develop cancer than those born through other methods.

The findings, which were published in peer-reviewed journal PLOS Medicine, were based on a study of almost 8 million children from four European countries.

“[There is] a higher risk of cancer in children born after frozen-thawed embryo transfer in assistant reproduction, a large study from Nordic countries found,” said co-author Ulla-Britt Wennerholm of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

Researchers analyzed medical data from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, tracking 171,744 children born due to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedures, which are fertility treatments that handle eggs and embryos. These treatments could include in vitro fertilization (IVF), where the embryos were immediately transferred without being frozen.

They also studied 7,772,474 children who were conceived naturally or without any reproductive assistance. Among the first group, “22,630 were born after frozen-thawed transfer,” Newsweek reported.

And statistical analysis showed they were more prone to cancer.

Leukemia and tumors affecting the central nervous system were the most common forms of the disease, according to the study. Research did not show that other ART treatments led to a greater cancer risk.

However, researchers were cautious with their findings and said only 48 children developed cancer.

Wennerholm said more research is needed.

“The individual risk was low, while at population level it may have an impact due to the huge increase in frozen cycles after assisted reproduction,” she said.